Val Kilmer will be present in the next willow series for Disney+, say its star Warwick Davis and executive producer Jonathan Kasdan.
Talk to Yahoo Entertainment as part of the range of star wars celebration events of the past week in Anaheim, the duo discussed how Kilmer will play a role in the television sequel to the 1988 film, directed by Ron Howard and produced by George Lucas.
“Val plays a huge role in all of this, and the first conversation I had, when Warwick and I got the go-ahead to do this, was with Val,” Kasdan said. “We wanted his character to be part of the story. We wanted him to be on the show.
The Top Gun: Maverick The star portrayed the film’s deuteragonist, Madmartigan, a disgraced knight who meets Willow Ufgood of Davis and ultimately helps her protect a child destined to end the evil reign of the witch Bavmorda, nicknamed the Demon Queen.
Kasdan noted that the actor was unable to film with the series, but promised he was involved “in a significant way.”
“Because we were shooting for [the COVID-19 lockdowns], he couldn’t come to Wales and tour with us. But he’s in the show in a big way. And we’re very excited about it,” the executive producer said. “Madmartigan lives.”
During the show star wars celebration panel on Thursday, according to comicsKasdan explained a little more about how the character of Kilmer will exist in the series.
“Val has been in communication with Joann [Whalley] and me and Madmartigan is a character in the story and what we couldn’t shoot with him in season 1, we made him a major figure in the story,” he said.
Talk to yahooDavis called his willow co-starred “a great guy” and shared that “Kilmer’s spirit is very much on the show”.
“I always attribute the fact that I got through the movie to Val. He kept my spirits up when the conditions were really dangerous and difficult. I was cold, wet, tired. He made me laugh, kept it all fun.
On Thursday, Disney debuted the first trailer for the TV sequel, taking place 20 years after the original film. Davis returns to the lead role, with Ellie Bamber, Erin Kellyman, Tony Revolori and Cailee Spaeny joining the franchise as main cast members. The series follows an unlikely group of heroes as they embark on a dangerous quest where they will face their inner demons and come together to save their magical world full of brownies, wizards, trolls and other mystical creatures.